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Solar Panel Permit in Unincorporated Salt Lake County, Utah

Required for installation of rooftop or ground-mounted solar photovoltaic systems in unincorporated Salt Lake County. MSD uses a base fee plus per-kW charge for residential and small commercial solar up to 20 kW.

Verified 2026-06-30 · Source

When you need this permit

  • Rooftop solar panel installation
  • Ground-mounted solar array installation
  • Battery storage system installation
  • Electrical service upgrade for solar interconnection

Required documents

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Fee schedule

Residential/Small Commercial Solar Permit — base fee (up to 20 kW)FY2025 Fee Schedule for Salt Lake County, adopted June 17, 2025. Does not include plan check fee.
$100.00
Solar Permit — fee per kW (residential/small commercial up to 20 kW)FY2025 Fee Schedule for Salt Lake County, adopted June 17, 2025. Additional fee based on system size.
$30.00 per kW
Commercial Solar over 20 kWFY2025 Fee Schedule for Salt Lake County, adopted June 17, 2025. Fee is based on applicant's declared valuation as determined by Director or designee.
Valuation-based per standard building permit fee table (see building permit fee schedule)
Battery Storage SystemFY2025 Fee Schedule for Salt Lake County, adopted June 17, 2025. Assumes inspector is already on site.
$2.00 per battery
Plan Check Fee (residential solar)FY2025 Fee Schedule for Salt Lake County, adopted June 17, 2025. Solar permits typically require plan review.
40% of the permit fee
Re-Inspection FeeFY2025 Fee Schedule for Salt Lake County, adopted June 17, 2025.
$50.00 per occurrence

Review timeline

Plan reviewTypical estimate — confirm current times with the Unincorporated Salt Lake County building department
~5–14 business days

How long did your Solar Panel Permit permit actually take in Unincorporated Salt Lake County?

Anonymous — one question, no email. Answers are combined and only shown once at least 5 people have reported.

Inspection process

  1. 1

    Rough Electrical

    Conduit runs, wire sizing, disconnect placement before energizing.

  2. 2

    Final / Structural

    Panel mounting, racking attachment, roof penetration sealing, and electrical connections verified.

See the full Unincorporated Salt Lake County inspection guide — scheduling & re-inspection fees →

Tips

  • MSD's solar fee is a base of $100 plus $30/kW for systems up to 20 kW — a 6 kW system would cost $100 + (6 × $30) = $280 before plan check.
  • Plan check is required for solar permits. Residential plan check is 40% of the permit fee.
  • Rocky Mountain Power interconnection approval is required before the system can be energized.
  • MSD requires 3-foot access pathways on rooftop solar for firefighter access per fire code.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. MSD requires a solar panel permit for all rooftop and ground-mounted PV installations. For residential/small commercial systems up to 20 kW, the fee is $100 base plus $30 per kW, per the FY2025 Fee Schedule (adopted June 17, 2025). Apply at msd.utah.gov/portal.

Per the FY2025 Fee Schedule for Salt Lake County (adopted June 17, 2025): $100 base fee plus $30 per kW for residential/small commercial systems up to 20 kW. Example: a 6 kW system = $100 + $180 = $280 before plan check. Battery storage is $2 per battery. Commercial over 20 kW is valuation-based.

Plan review for a solar panel permit in Unincorporated Salt Lake County typically runs 5–14 business days. This is an estimate, not a published figure — confirm current review times with Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD) — Building Services at (385) 910-7138.

You'll need: Building Permit Application; Solar Site Plan / Roof Plan; Electrical Single-Line Diagram; Structural Analysis; Equipment Specifications. Depending on your project, Unincorporated Salt Lake County may also ask for: Interconnection Agreement. See the required-documents checklist on this page for details on each.

Unincorporated Salt Lake County requires 2 inspection(s) for a solar panel permit, in order: Rough Electrical, Final / Structural. Schedule each through Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD) — Building Services ((385) 910-7138).

Apply through Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District (MSD) — Building Services at 860 W. Levoy Drive, Suite 300, Taylorsville, UT 84123. Phone: (385) 910-7138, email: inspections@msd.utah.gov. Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Official information: https://msd.utah.gov/205/Building-Services.

Unincorporated Salt Lake County, Utah has adopted: 2024 International Building Code (IBC), including Appendices C and J — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(a) (https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title15A/Chapter2/15A-2-S103.html), in force statewide since 7/1/2026 and binding on counties under §15A-1-204. MSD's own Codes and Design Criteria page still lists the 2021 IBC (incl. Appendices C & J) adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, MSD's own page has not been updated to the current statewide edition.; 2021 International Residential Code (IRC), including Appendix AQ (except residential energy Chapter 11) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(b)/(c); this edition is UNCHANGED from the prior code cycle. MSD's own page lists the same 2021 IRC + Appendix AQ exclusion, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, consistent with the current statute on the base edition.; 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(d). MSD's own page still lists the 2021 IPC, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(e). MSD's own page still lists the 2021 IMC, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; 2024 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(f). MSD's own page still lists the 2021 IFGC, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(g); this edition is UNCHANGED from the prior code cycle. MSD's own Codes and Design Criteria page still displays the 2020 NEC — live-checked 2026-07-16, not updated to the statewide edition; confirm the enforced edition with MSD before starting electrical work.; 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) — one code, no residential/commercial split, per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(h). MSD's own page still splits it — 2015 IECC residential (IRC Chapter 11 residential energy provisions explicitly excluded from the 2021 IRC adoption) and 2021 IECC commercial — live-checked 2026-07-16, both lag the current statewide edition; the residential/commercial split itself is preserved here as MSD-published history, not carried into the governing statutory citation.; 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(i). MSD's own page still lists the 2021 IEBC, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; Residential provisions of the 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) — governs per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(n). MSD's own page still lists the 2021 ISPSC, adopted effective July 1, 2023 — live-checked 2026-07-16, lags the current statewide edition.; Modular Building Institute (MBI) Standards 1200 and 1205 — governs statewide per Utah Code §15A-2-103(1)(o). Not listed on MSD's own Codes and Design Criteria page — live-checked 2026-07-16.; 2006 International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) — adopted per Utah Code Title 65A, Chapter 8. Local amendments apply — see the Unincorporated Salt Lake County overview page for the full list.

Sources & verification

Verified against official sources. Last reviewed 2026-06-30.

Fees, timelines, and adopted codes are researched from each jurisdiction's published records — see how we verify. Requirements change and vary by project, so always confirm the current details with the Unincorporated Salt Lake County building department before you submit. PermitBase is an independent reference and is not affiliated with any government agency.

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